by De Ette Stewart

Created on: November 11, 2008

My dog Pooka lived in fenceless yards, or apartments with no yards, with me for 13 years with no lost dog incidents. It did help that Pooka was a spayed female. The urge to stray is at its height when a female in heat is involved. Unneutered male dogs can smell a female dog in estrus for a considerable distance and will travel that distance to meet up with her. So your first step with a family pet would be a visit to the spay/neuter clinic at the age recommended by your vet.

I didn't use Invisible fencing as it hadn't been invented yet (Pooka died of old age many years ago). What we used was a method known as Boundary Training. Many dog lovers may dispute that this works, but for Pooka and me it was the perfect solution. Think of it as being similar to what any good parent does with their kids, you let them out when they're young under supervision only. While they're out, you consistently stop them, either verbally or using cues such as a leash, when they hit the edges of the yard or the distance away from you that feels to be too far. You can clip the lead to the dog's collar and let it drag, catching them up by stepping on the trailing end if they start to get too far away. You will need to supplement these backyard jaunts with longer walks on a leash to make sure both you and your pal get all the exercise you need, particularly if you're dealing with a puppy. During these sessions, it helps if you mix in a little obedience training. Schooling your pet will make your life with them more enjoyable and you'll both be welcome wherever you go. Being trained to "come" when you call is essential to this method. You can do this with a pocket of treats and lots of praise whenever the dog performs appropriately. Start at the end of a leash and gradually increase your distance.

You use the "supervised out" not only when the dog is a pup, but anytime you change your residence or go on vacation. This will reset the boundaries in the new residence. After a certain amount of time, you will begin to see your dog stop on its own when it hits your predefined boundary. Always watch for this, have a pocket of treats and reward this behavior with lots of praise! Continue to supervise for a while longer. If you continue to see the dog hit the boundary and stop (with a reward), you can start reducing your on site supervision and eliminating the rewards. Stand at the door instead of out in the yard, and test things out. Does the dog still stop, or is pooch an opportunist who figures

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>